Abnormal Psychology

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY

Courses Offered: Co-ed; Fall or Full Year

Abnormal Psychology begins with an overview of human behavior, and then introduces students to various psychological disorders as well as theoretical concepts that underlie each one. Students explore theoretical, clinical, and experimental perspectives on the study of psychopathology. Students learn terminology, classification, etiology, assessment, and treatment of each of the major disorders. Upon completion of this course, the students are able to distinguish between normal and abnormal patterns of behavior. This course features discussions, partner and group projects, and other activities that help students to recognize the ways that abnormal psychology manifests in the real world. The class is designed for eleventh and twelfth graders, and may be appropriate for mature tenth graders.

Students may choose to enroll in this course for Semester I only (0.5 credit) or for Semesters I and II (1.0 credit). For students continuing into Semester II, the course shifts into personalized, project-based work where they engage in individual research projects. Using the knowledge and skills gained in Abnormal Psychology as the foundation, students are guided through a self-designed, long-term research project on the topic of their choosing. In Semester II, students are expected to engage in deep, sustained inquiry, authentic and iterative research, critical analysis, and rigorous reflection, revision, and assessment. Pathway options from which students might choose include:

Design solution to real-world problem or answer theoretical/ethical question;
Social science/humanities or STEM approach to research and analysis (i.e.: source evaluation vs. experimental design process);
Individual study/self-assessment or collaborative seminar/peer-review;
Format for collection, critique, and evaluation of artifacts; or
Platform for creative output or metrics to measure effectiveness of public product.

Upon completion of their inquiry-driven project, students will have gained academic maturity and expanded their ability to engage in a diverse and changing world. They will be able to draw and defend conclusions from theoretical underpinnings, contextual background, and mathematical analysis or source evaluation. Finally, they will have created and tested something useful of their own design.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of one year of high school social studies
Approved by: NCAA
Course Year: September 2018 - May 2019

Meet Your Teacher

Leslee Frye
Social Sciences Teacher
BA University of Delaware
MS Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
EdS Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Student Experience

Frequently Asked Questions